


Come Home

by writingwithmolls



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/F, First Kiss, Hurt/Comfort, I don't care how long three houses has been out I love them, Implied/Referenced Character Death, honestly big sad to big cute, look I just love doing character studies of these girls, lowkey sumdelia as well because it's me, mentions of death in reference to awakening timeline, selena is haunted by nightmares of the past
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:07:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21714280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingwithmolls/pseuds/writingwithmolls
Summary: Beruka knows that Selena has more to her story than she lets on. She's quiet and Selena likes to talk, leaving room for observation.Moments when Beruka learns more about her fellow retainer, as well about herself.
Relationships: Belka | Beruka/Luna | Selena
Comments: 11
Kudos: 34





	Come Home

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warning as Selena talks about war/events of Fire Emblem Awakening, so expect canon typical violence.
> 
> Thank you and please enjoy.

“Good afternoon, beautiful retainers,” Soleil greeted before she was even fully up the stairs. She froze when she saw Selena. “My, my you look absolutely gorgeous without your armor. Beruka, you too darling.” She started walking towards the door, but Beruka stuck her axe out.

“Lady Soleil, you are not allowed up here, please return to whatever you were doing,” Beruka said with a straight face.

“Awh, you don’t need to be so formal with me.” Soleil’s grin didn’t break. “I’m just here to see Mom.”

“Direct orders from Lady Camilla were to not let you in, milady,” Beruka responded, keeping her axe between the young woman and the door.

“Selena.” Soleil gave up with the one retainer and moved on. “If you’re not busy, perhaps come into town with me? Forrest told me that my fashion sense is lacking and I’m sure you could help me.”

Beruka wanted to roll her eyes, but it would be giving in to Soleil’s attempt at a reaction. The girl never dropped her cheery attitude as she hovered by the two retainers on their shift. 

“How about you head out with your father and give him a lesson on talking to girls? He’s sorely lacking,” Selena said with a wry grin. She was always able to bring it easily to her face without much effort.

“Well, we would need a cutie like you to practice, wouldn’t we?” Soleil took a step closer, but Selena didn’t back away. “Since Mom is busy.”

“Nice try, Lady Soleil, but I have a job to do.” Selena’s face lit up into a genuine smile. Beruka knew Selena had a soft spot for the girl since Soleil's father was Lord Laslow. “But tell your father I’ll come and visit soon, okay? Please be on your way.” Soleil moped, but listened to the woman’s words and headed back down the stairs.

“You’re too easy on her,” Beruka chided. “Lady Camilla said she’s been distracted by her persistent flirting. She seems absolutely entranced by her own mother.”

Selena sighed. “I think if Lady Soleil saw her grandmother, she would cry.”

“You know Lord Laslow’s mother?”

Selena visibly tensed at the question. When they both became royal retainers, Beruka was quick to notice that Selena would slip up from time to time. She came in determined not to share her past, but her words were always littered with clues. Maybe no one else would pick them up, but this was Beruka. She spent her whole life living as part of the unknown; she could seek out others who were new to it.

Selena nodded. “She was a dancer like Laslow. Such a beautiful woman, they have quite the genes.” She laughed.

“Was?”

“Dead. Killed protecting her son.” Selena shook her head. “His father, too.”

“And yours?” But Beruka already knew that Selena wouldn’t answer the question.

“The past isn’t worth dwelling on.” And the two of them continued their guard in silence. Most of their time together was spent wordlessly to save the exhaustion of fights. Selena’s humor and comments were always taken too literally by Beruka, which bothered them both to one end. But, they did get along. Silence wasn’t a bad thing when they spent nearly every waking moment with one another.

Selena was the most interesting person Beruka had met from an observing prospective. She was skilled in all areas, but still went out of her way to challenge each and every person in camp just to beat them. Beruka knew that most people who did that were all talk, but Selena continued to prove herself every single day. Under this infatuation with herself, she was what Lady Camilla would call  _ a sweetheart _ . Beruka saw that as well, her softer moments with her liege or the men she traveled with. Even though she was perpetually disagreeable, she would do anything for those who she loved. Her alliances lay in her heart.

* * *

Beruka didn’t learn more of Selena’s mysteries until the next slip.

“That Lady Soleil is starting to wear me down,” Beruka mumbled, changing into her armor for an outdoor patrol. Both of the retainers had run into their liege’s daughter once more, but this time Lady Soleil had latched onto Beruka. Spewing words of admiration as if her life depended on it. 

“She’s just practicing on you, there’s no way she would try to seduce one of her mother’s friends… I think.” Selena looked like she was seriously considering the possibility. She wasn’t paying much attention, instead focusing on lining up her armor and finicking with the straps. Beruka knew she would do this until they were perfectly even, regardless of how long it would take.

“I don’t think she does this to  _ seduce _ .” Beruka couldn’t control her tone, knowing that she sounded annoyed. “She obviously is fooling around, she only flirts with other women. Could you imagine that?”

“Actually, my  _ mothers _ were married.” Selena sounded insulted and her cheeks had a bare tint of red. She practically spit the word “mothers” at Beruka. She tightened her armor straps a bit too tight, beginning to walk away even though they were uneven.

Beruka felt a little pang in her heart, surprised that she was capable of hurting her proud partner. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

“It’s fine, it’s everyone’s reaction,” she said bitterly. “Laslow told me that his daughter was genuinely interested in a girl, even if she is just a complete flirt like him.”

“Was that part of the culture of where you three are from?” Beruka tried to even out her tone, hoping to gather more information from the redhead. Selena looked confused, not used to the sincere tone Beruka had spoken in. “If you don’t mind me asking.”

“I wouldn’t call it normal, many people opposed their marriage. Wanted to take my sister and I away out of fear. But, there were many that supported them. They were well loved by their friends.” Selena’s voice made Beruka nostalgic for something she never had.

“I never knew my mother,” Beruka admitted, though quite selfishly only because she wanted to hear more from Selena. “What kind of people were yours?”

“They were both pegasus knights. My biological mother was perfect. Best of her class at anything and everything, she was beautiful. Sumia was a lot less sure of herself, but quite a selfless woman. Her and my sister were amazing with the pegasi, the only two who could tame any horse they encountered.” Selena paused, as if considering how much she should share. “It’s a shame what wars do to families, this one is no different. I don’t know how Laslow does it, bringing a child into this. Owain, too.”

Beruka noted the mistake, but chose not to point it out. She caught Selena on it countless times, names that didn’t match up to the three. Enough for Beruka to know that Odin and Laslow weren’t the boys’ given names and it was likely Selena wasn’t her name either. Beruka didn’t push into the matter more. Selena was already grabbing her sword from the wall, so she grabbed her own axe. She knew that looking into Selena’s relationships would have to be put on pause; protecting Lady Camilla was always her first priority.

* * *

“Thanks for letting me stay here.” Selena was spreading quilts out on the floor of Beruka’s small room. Beruka wondered how she slept with so many blankets, but didn’t ask. “I cannot believe my entire room flooded. This is supposed to be a well-made castle.”

“It’s fine,” Beruka said, but she wasn’t happy to be sharing her space. As Lady Camilla’s retainers, they both had rooms close to their liege’s private chambers. Sometimes it felt like a prison cell, but Beruka had stayed in much worse conditions. “I’m sure they can get it fixed soon.”

Beruka watched as Selena got ready for bed, wearing a simple night dress. She undid her pigtails and began to brush out her hair. Beruka couldn’t look away as the straight hair was combed. Each run through of the comb made it even more silky, only small hesitations to work out the knots.

“What?” Selena turned, looking Beruka in the eyes. “Why are you staring at me?”

Beruka decided to be honest rather than denying her actions. “I have never seen you with your hair down before.” She added, “It looks nice.”

Selena scoffed and looked down, but Beruka could see a soft flush on her cheeks. It was the same expression she got when Lady Camilla fawned over her a bit too much. Beruka didn’t know that she could have the same effect with just a simple compliment. “Goodnight.”

Beruka almost cracked a smile when Selena pulled the blankets over her and sunk to the floor. Even though she was a vicious warrior, she could be so childish at times. Beruka blew out the candle that was lighting the room before curling up into her own bed. She drifted off to sleep quickly, listening to the breath of her fellow retainer.

She did not expect to be woken up to Selena’s screams.

Beruka jolted awake. The girl on her floor was curled up in a ball, screaming as if she had gotten injured. Her first instinct was to survey the room, but it still only contained the two of them. Next, she looked over Selena’s body in the dark. Her hair was matted to the sides of her face with sweat, but there was no sign of visible injuries. Perhaps something in her body was injured?

“Selena,” Beruka said.

“Don’t call me by that name!” Selena cried, her voice reverberating on the stone walls of the room. It tore viciously through Beruka. “I want this nightmare to be over, I just want to be Severa. I miss them. I miss them so much.”

Beruka didn’t understand missing someone. She didn’t miss her mother, dead in the ground. She didn’t miss her adoptive father; who was also dead in the ground, but by her own hand. But this was the first time that she could even grasp what it could feel like if she  _ was _ to miss someone. A pain that didn’t stop, not even to let you sleep.

Beruka slid down onto the floor from her bed, sitting cross legged next to the sobbing wreck of a girl. She had no words to offer, no way of reassuring her. She realized that it wasn’t a pain that was to be fixed with medicine. Instead, she just placed a hand on Selena’s knee.

Selena looked at her, the tears visible in the dark. She bit her lip and leaned forward, throwing herself onto Beruka’s shoulder. Beruka stiffened, not used to physical contact with anyone except for her liege who insisted on embracing her.

Beruka hesitated, but put her arms around the shaking girl. It felt strange being the one holding someone, but she knew that her words would offer no comfort. Selena sunk further into her, forcing Beruka to lie in the blankets with her.

“They should be alive.” Selena sobbed. “Why did they put me above them?”

Beruka didn’t respond, but rubbed Selena’s back gently. All she could do was listen.

“I couldn’t do anything. If only it was me instead of Cynthia on that horse. Why did I refuse to be a pegasus knight?” Selena tensed. “I should be dead. Why am I not dead?”

That stuck a cord with Beruka. “We want you alive. You’re so valuable to this army. You’re a good fighter.”

With that, Selena’s cries began to die out. She was still trembling, but her body relaxed in Beruka’s arms. Soon enough, she was asleep.

Beruka let out a soft sigh of relief. She let go of Selena, but didn’t move from her spot next to her. Even though she was skilled in not being heard, she worried that without her presence, the crying would start again. Knowing that it was her best option, Beruka closed her eyes and let herself drift off to sleep.

When Beruka woke up, Selena’s arms were clenched around her body, holding her close to her chest. She didn’t want to let her know that she was awake, so she just lay still, listening to the rest of the castle getting up for the day. She deserved the rest.

By the time that Selena began to stir, Beruka still wasn’t sure what to do. She had never been in this position before. How  _ does _ one wake up in the arms of another? She could feel Selena lazily grope at the blankets, before recognizing that she wasn’t alone.

The redhead shot up, practically knocking Beruka out of her arms. “Shit,” she said, her face flushed as she began to recognize the scene.

Beruka couldn’t help but to roll her eyes at the interaction, but she was still worried. She could only assume that Selena went through something like this almost every night, but alone. “Good morning,” she said plainly.

“I—I,” Selena managed, the words barely coming to her lips. She hung her head, a curtain of hair hair covering her face.

Beruka sat up in the pile of blankets, stretching her back. “Selena, I’m not going to tell anyone about what happened last night. It’s okay.”

Selena looked at her skeptically, cheeks still tinted with the color. “That didn’t happen.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Beruka asked, but she already knew the answer.

“No,” she responded, heading towards the door. She paused before opening it. “I’m going to get ready. My name… no one can know that.”

“I won’t tell,” Beruka promised. Selena seemed satisfied and pushed her way out of the room, leaving Beruka in a pile of her blankets and pillows.

_ Severa _ . Beruka couldn’t let the name leave her head. It was pretty, she would even venture to say that it fit the girl more than her current name. She had learned the boys’ real names a while ago, but this was a new piece of information. She knew that Selena had a past that she didn’t speak about, but the guilt she felt for living was new. Beruka had no way of knowing that the girl who spent her whole life proving her worth was so haunted.

* * *

After the first night, they fell into a strange routine. As long as Selena’s room was being fixed, she came into Beruka’s each night and retired to the pile of blankets in the middle of the floor. They would barely talk and blow out the candle. Nearly every night, hours before dawn Beruka would wake up to Selena’s cries. She would join her on the floor and comfort her until she could breathe. Then, she would fall asleep on the floor until Selena jumped up in the morning and sweared up and down that it wouldn’t happen again. It always happened again.

Beruka watched as Selena paced the room, brushing out her hair for the night. She had to admit, she was getting tired of it. Not of helping Selena—that part was fine—but her back hurt from not sleeping in a proper bed.

Selena blew out the candle and was about to lie down when Beruka spoke up, “Sleep with me.”

“Excuse me?” Selena stuttered out and even in the dark Beruka knew that she was flustered.

“I don’t mind comforting you every night,” Beruka admitted, “but wouldn’t it be easier if you slept in bed with me? Maybe it would help with the nightmares.”

It was rare that Beruka brought up what was happening. Both of the women refused to talk about it, never referenced it. “O-okay.”

Beruka slid to one side of the small bed, giving Selena space to crawl in herself. Selena had her back to her, but Beruka knew that holding her usually helped to calm her. So, she wrapped her arms around her waist.

Selena tensed, but didn’t say anything about the action. Beruka could feel her quickened pulse, anxiety, probably. Both fell asleep much quicker than they were used to.

Beruka awoke as per usual, but this time not to screaming. With her arms around Selena, she could feel her panicked breath. The girl made a soft whining noise, but otherwise didn’t burst into the usual sobs. She didn’t know if Selena could tell that she was awake and she debated what to do. Beruka was unsure what would be the best method of helping.

So she tightened her grip on her waist, pulling Selena in close to her. Selena placed her hands over hers, using her thumbs to rub circles on Beruka’s arms. “I’m here,” Beruka whispered, hoping that it would be enough to calm her down. For an extra measure, she pressed a kiss to the nape of her neck.

“I’m sorry,” Selena said. She, too, was pressing her back up against Beruka. It was as if she didn’t want any space between them.

“There’s nothing to be sorry about.” Beruka meant those words. At first, it was hard to understand, but she was beginning to realize how much these memories haunted her partner. “I can listen, if you would like.”

It was the first time that she had said it for Selena, not for her own benefit.

“It’s just, I can’t get it out of my mind,” Selena managed between the breaths. “It was horrible when my mom died. Our other mom had been slain in battle two months prior and Sumia wasn’t taking it well. It was the woman that she loved and now she had two young teenagers in the middle of a war. The opposing army had begun to attack in the middle of the night, just storming our camps and slaughtering us as we slept.  _ I should have died that night _ .” Her voice was stiff. “My mom hadn’t been able to sleep—she left Cynthia and I in the tent and was spending time in the pegasi stable. We were attacked, but she could have escaped—she  _ should _ have escaped. Instead she ran back and got me and my sister out. As she was helping us grab our weapons, one of the risen found us in the tent. Sumia died getting us out. There was so much blood… that was the last I saw her. It wasn’t like my other mom, whose last image I had of her was hugging me goodbye. I saw her getting ripped apart by those beasts. I just knew I had to get us  _ out _ . I could barely pull Cynthia away.”

Selena stayed silent, so brittle Beruka thought she could snap in half. “That’s one of the scenes that plays almost every night. The next morning, once day broke and people went back into the camp, they wouldn’t let Cynthia and I back. The Exalt returned with her wedding ring, but no one would let us see our mother. They burned her body because she was in too horrible a shape to bury.”

Even though Beruka had seen many deaths in her years, there were none that were that inhumane. War was war, but not only seeing one’s own mother killed, but brutally? Beruka held on to Selena tighter. “I’m sorry that you had to see her like that. I wish there was something I could do to make it go away, I really do.”

“I was able to properly lay Cordelia to rest. I was able to lay Cynthia to rest. It’s ridiculous, but I worry about not giving Sumia what she deserved. I worry that she hates me.”

“That’s not the case,” Beruka said with confidence. “I know that it’s hard for me to have a say in this. But… the way you described your mother. She went back to protect you. She loved you. You wear her ring every day, don’t you?” It was a shot in the dark, but Beruka knew that Selena religiously wore two rings on her wedding ring finger each day. It was one of the first habits that she picked up on, within days of working with one another. “You hold her so dearly. And you work so hard, she has to be proud of you.”

Beruka was surprised when Selena began to cry, bitter sobs breaking through the silence. “I’m so sorry,” she amended. “I didn’t mean to—”

“Thank you.” She cut the other woman off. “For saying that, it means a lot.”

“I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

“I don’t think it’s a bad cry,” Selena responded and Beruka was relieved to hear her breathing finally calm down. “You’re the first person to hear that story. I’ve never talked about this with anyone except for Cynthia. Ever since she died, it’s hard for me to tell anyone.” She paused. “I want to be able to bury it, but it’s been eating at me.”

“I’m sorry.”

* * *

The two retainers fell into another routine after that. 

Beruka would hold her in the night and listen to her fears, her hopes, her dreams. Beruka was more than happy to help her in the only way she knew how—listening. Her partner was growing happier. 

It was comfortable until it got too comfortable.

Suffocating.

Selena stopped sharing a bed with her.

Even though her room had been fixed for weeks by that point, she had slept in Beruka’s bed every night until one night she never came. She was  _ going _ to check, but decided that it was best not to and fell asleep. The next morning arrived and Selena was at training as usual.

For some reason, it felt like someone had passed a knife through Beruka’s heart and let it rest in the center.

Another two weeks this persisted, until she got the letter:

_ Beruka—I am sorry, but I have to leave Nohr. I will never forget your kindness… you’ve always been a strange one, but then again, so am I. I wish you and Lady Camilla the best and in a perfect future I will see you again soon. —Selena _

It wasn’t surprising to see Selena leave, the whole castle knew that one day she would get up and disappear. She spoke too much of the theoretical, after all: what would happen if she were to leave and never come back.

Beruka dropped the letter off to her princess and tried to sleep. Only a deafening silence and absence of warmth greeted her.

* * *

Beruka thought she couldn’t feel. She realized that maybe she had been feeling something all along, but only once it was too late and the feeling had fled away. It wasn’t replaced.

She felt empty.

Like she had gotten impaled by a spear (and she knew how that felt first-hand).

The only place she could think of to go was her liege’s private room. She felt like she was going to explode in the silence without Selena’s breathing. She walked quietly down the hallway, knocking on the fine wooden door. Beruka had never done it before—bothered her lady during her own personal time, especially not long after the stars had come out. 

“Come in.” She heard the voice and pushed open the door. Lady Camilla was sitting on her bed, her hair bare from the usual crown and clothed only in a nightgown. Her husband was situated on the end of the bed, also in nightclothes.

“Milady, I’m sorry.” She took a half step out of the door, embarrassed to be walking in on the two.

“Wait,” Camilla commanded, so her feet stayed put. “Come in, darling. Is this about Selena?”

“Yes, Lady Camilla.”

“We were just discussing her.” Lord Laslow sighed and Beruka noticed how tired both of them looked. “Odin doesn’t know where she ran off to either, unfortunately it looks like the only way she is coming back is if it’s by her own desire.”

Beruka stared blankly at the wall. “It hurts, Lady Camilla.”

“Darling…” Her liege trailed off.

“I don’t know why it hurts. There’s not a scratch on me, but the pain is everywhere.” Beruka noticed how her voice echoed off all the walls of the chamber. She couldn’t comprehend that it was her own, covered in so much pain.

“Sit down.” Lady Camilla patted the bed next to her. Beruka followed the order and up close she could see that the woman had been crying. “Unfortunately, sometimes we have no choice but to let the ones we love go. You know as well as I that I did not want our dear Selena to leave, but it was always a possibility.”

“But—” Her Lady raised her hand upwards to silence her.

“I think it would be best to assume that she will not be returning. It will do you no good to dwell on it.”

So, on Lady Camilla’s orders, Beruka didn’t dwell. It was easy, wasn’t it? To simply move on… it’s what she had done her entire life. Except whenever she saw one of the boys upset by the loss of their best friend. Except when it was silent as Lady Soleil attempted to flirt with her without Selena to give her commentary. Except when she alone was standing next to her liege on high alert. Except when every night she fell asleep with no one to hold.

It was just like everyone to leave her.

* * *

Months passed with no word from Selena, and Beruka found it easiest to pretend she was dead. At least then she wasn’t avoiding her, she could have never made her feel so empty on purpose. It wasn’t until winter she got her answer, when she heard a commotion in the main hall of the castle. Someone demanding to see Lady Camilla.

She rushed to the main entrance, fully intent on slaying whoever dare try to hurt her liege. She froze. It couldn’t be—there was no way… 

Beruka stared at the redhead standing in the doorway. She had her head hung low, her clothes dirty from travel. Her hair was chopped short at the chin, no longer in twin-tails. 

“I have no right to be back here,” Selena started. “I don’t think Lady Camilla will take me back.” She looked up at Beruka and completely froze.

At first, Beruka had no idea why her former partner was looking at her like that, with so much shock and confusion. And then Beruka felt it. Hot tears welling in her eyes and rushing down her face. She clenched her fists together and choked on a sob that she didn’t know was trying to escape.

She didn’t know what to do. Beruka couldn’t remember the last time she cried, if she even cried at all. Maybe she had when she was an infant, but no one was alive to tell her. She thought of all the times she held Selena when she woke from her horrible nightmares. Just maybe that would help.

Beruka stepped forward, unsure at first, before running to Selena. Selena was almost knocked over by the shorter girl, who buried herself into the crook of her neck.

“I’m sorry.” Selena gasped and even though Beruka couldn’t see her, she could tell from her voice that she had begun to cry, too. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am, Beruka.”

“Why did you leave?” Beruka couldn’t even recognize her own voice, it was so disguised by the tears. It was nice to feel Selena’s arms around her once more. “Why would you leave?”

“It was stupid, I’m sorry.” They held each other until there was the telltale click of heels on the stone behind them.

Selena unwrapped herself from Beruka and fell to a knee. Beruka turned towards her liege, who stood taller and looked down at her former retainer with such a fire in her eyes that Beruka shied away.

Lady Camilla stood in front of the kneeling woman and with a crack slapped her across the face. Beruka winced as Selena almost fell over from the pure force of the hit, but she stayed on her knee and looked back up at her lady.

“That is for hurting my darling Beruka.” Lady Camilla scowled. “Come here, Selena.” And she yanked the girl up and brought her into a hug. Selena was now sobbing, her apologies echoing in the hall.

Eventually, she was released from the princess’s arms and given to Beruka to take back upstairs. It was quiet as they pushed open the door to Selena’s room, still miraculously untouched since her departure. Lady Camilla hadn’t settled on a new retainer, yet. She was notoriously picky regarding the women she kept close to her.

Selena sat down on the bed, nursing her cheek with her left hand. It was beginning to swell and Beruka knew that it was painful. It wasn’t going to be a pretty picture in the morning. A mark like that, she thought, didn’t belong on such a beautiful face. 

“Can I still sleep with you?” Beruka felt stupid for asking, but it was the only question that was running through her brain. It had been difficult sleeping alone, she couldn’t do it in the same way as she used to. Knowing that Selena was somewhere else, screaming over the nightmares that followed her wherever she went, it had been difficult to relax. 

“Of course.” Selena patted her bed. She was sitting with her back against the wall and her legs out in front of her. Beruka sat by her feet. “I’m sorry that I made you cry.”

“I don’t remember the last time I cried. I don’t think I ever have,” Beruka admitted, clasping her hands together in her lap. “I’m sorry for crying. I made you feel worse.”

Selena was quiet for a while. She cleared her throat before saying, “It actually made me a bit happy. I feel bad for making you worry like that, but at the same time I thought I would come back to everyone hating me… but I was missed.” She smiled at the other girl. “I can’t believe she let me come back. I don’t deserve this.”

“You didn’t deserve to be hit like that.”

“I think we both know that I got lucky in terms of that hit. It was either that or an axe to the face.” Beruka winced at the thought. “I shouldn’t be back.”

“Your hair.”

“Oh, I know my hair. It’s a shame, it was getting so lon—”

“It’s pretty.” Beruka crawled onto Selena’s lap, unknowingly straddling the girl. She gripped the strands, letting them run through her fingers again and again. “Short hair fits your face well.” A warmth spread between the two girls, separating them from the chill of the room.

“Have you been chatting with Soleil since I’ve been gone?” Selena smirked at her, but her face was flushed from the touching. “Taken up flirting with ladies?”

Beruka shook her head, twisting a piece of Selena’s hair. As per usual, Selena’s jokes were taken as serious questions. “Lady Camilla told me I need to be more honest with my feelings. I’m just saying them outloud, it helps me realize them myself.”

“Can I share my feelings then, too?”

“Yes.”

Selena put her hands on Beruka’s hips. “I missed you a lot and I thought I would regret coming back, but now that we’re here like this I don’t. And I’m feeling like I really want to kiss you.”

“Do so, then,” Beruka whispered, lowering her head towards Selena.

Selena’s grip on her waist tightened as she sealed their lips together. Beruka had no clue what she was doing, admittedly her only experience was from accidentally spying on the young lady (it wasn’t her fault that Lady Soleil didn’t lock the door and had no shame whatsoever about the act). She could tell that Selena was holding back for her and it made her feel comfortable.

They pulled away, foreheads pressed together. “Can we stay like this?” Beruka asked.

“Of course.”

“You’re so warm.”

“I’m glad.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed please consider following [my fandom twitter](https://twitter.com/writingwithmoll) and [my personal twitter](https://twitter.com/mollyswiencki) where I write sapphic polyam novels!
> 
> Thank you for the support <3


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